PhD studentship - Optimizing biological treatment technologies for a carbon constrained future, Cranfield University

Supported by Severn Trent Water, a studentship of £16,000 p.a.*for three years, plus fees*

Cranfield University’s internationally recognised Water Science Institute, in collaboration with Severn Trent Water and the Natural Environment Research Council, has an exciting research opportunity for a motivated graduate to explore ways to enhance the biological and physical processes in low energy sewage treatment solutions and help the water industry meet tighter water quality standards in a carbon constrained future.

This industry-lead PhD project aims to identify innovative ways to overcome the common limitations of rotating biological contactors related to oxygen transfer in order to address the Water Industry’s need for reliable low energy treatment solutions for small sewage works. The pollutant removal mechanisms and pathways operating in the modified units will be studied in detail, relating them to current process performance and future treatment and carbon targets.

The work will involve trialing of innovations at laboratory, pilot and full scale sites. The student will be primarily based at the Severn Trent Water’s Research and Development team in Coventry, with frequent interaction with both the Cranfield Water Science Institute at Cranfield University and various departments within Severn Trent.

Embedded within the larger Strategic Partnership between Cranfield, Severn Trent Water and Atkins on wastewater research, the project will use the wastewater characteristics and performance information from Severn Trent Water, and be executed with assistance from key Severn Trent employees and Atkins Global Ltd. The project will involve significant field work activities as well as process engineering calculations and data analysis.

Anticipated interview date: As soon as possible
Start date: As soon as possible

This higher research degree is associated with one of our Doctoral Training Centre, which is funded in part by the Research Councils and industry. A generic core skills training programme is provided for all research students. This is structured as a series of half day or full day events and acts as a social and networking forum to foster and develop Cranfield’s research student community.

Entry Requirements

Applicants should have a first or upper second class UK honours degree or equivalent in a related subject such as engineering, biology, environmental science or chemistry.

Funding

*Supported by a NERC CASE award and Severn Trent Water this studentship will cover the tuition fees at the UK/EU rate only and provide a bursary of up to £16,000 p.a for three years. To be eligible for this funding applicants must have:
• no restrictions on how long you can stay in the UK, i.e. no visa restrictions or have ‘settled status’, and
• have been ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK for 3 years prior to the start of the grant and
• not been residing in the UK wholly or mainly for the purpose of full-time education. (This does not apply to UK or EU nationals).
All EU nationals are eligible to receive a fees-only award if they do not have ‘settled status’ in the UK.
All non-EU nationals are very unlikely to be eligible for this funding under the Education (Fees and Awards) Regulations 1997.
For full details about eligibility please visit: http://www.nerc.ac.uk/funding/application/studentships/

How to apply

If you are eligible to apply for this research studentship, please complete the  Application Form, or you can request that we post one to you. Alternatively you may wish to apply online. For further information contact us today:

School of Applied Sciences
T: +44 (0)1234 754086
E: appliedsciences@cranfield.ac.uk

Please note that we are unable to consider submissions for specific research studentships that fall outside of the stated eligibility criteria.